Breakdown firearm



Oct. 26, 1943.

W. C. ROEMER BREAKDowN FIREARM Filed Oct. 4, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4% off/26ans Oct. 26, 1943. W c ROEMER BREAKDowN FIREARM Filed Oct. 4, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l hul x Oct. 26, 1943. w. c. ROEMER 2,333,043

BREAKDOWN FIREARM Filed oct. 4, 1959 3 sheet-sheet 5 Patented Oct. 26, 1943 UNITD "Y RoernerQw Havenfconn., `to Western; Cartridge Company, New Haven, f.

Conn., a 'corporation of Delaware Y @primi-gti; entre; 4, 1939,; ser

The presentinvention relates Ytoiinprovemez:riy'js;r I* inf breakdown firearms, that i=s to say, irearmsA in which. a butt-unit and azuarrel-unit aregmovable '(-usuallypivotally). with respect to each.

other, to separate the rear end ofthe. cartridgef,

chamber of'the vbarrel-unit from the standing-' breech of vthe britt-uni@ `to .permitthe grernoval, v of just-firedcartridges: and the insertion. ofA fresh- Y cartridges. into the.I cartridge-champel' .of uthe barrel-unit. s .A

In order that a clearer understandingmay he had of. v thev present. invention before. a detai1 e'd` description of one. embodiment thereof is. givern it. may lloe first explained .that it is. customaryinbreakdown rearmstoi .effect the. cooking-.of the firing-member as'the result ofthe.` so-'calledf and the barrel-unit. It is customaryY also vr,tof so proportion the. parts that. the v:ti-.ring*member-isl' ,n

retired sufciently. to bejeaught by theE sear. ,at `apoin-tprior to the point at which th'ei twoll'm'ts of the firearm reachtheir full loreakktlown{posi- In. other words,- there is excess movement between the two said tions relative to each.,other..

units after the ming-member has been retired sufficiently to insure its lheinglcocked.. Thisl'exfg cess movement after. the. ring'fmember been?.

retired into `position' .to be.cocked, is commonly referred to in the art as over-cooking, sincefit.

retires the liring-member` beyond the [point re-y quired-to effect 'its cooking in order'toinsure-t itsfbeing. cocked.. It is important to loey note'L4 in; this. connection,. that during, this over-,tra i le1'` or overfcockingofthe firing-member, the `iirifrfglspring isconstantly exerting an effort to lmove. the Iiring-rnemloer` into engagement with; the' sear, and hence, since. the cooking isefected by, the breakdown movement of` the'rearrn, the;l firing-spring (or springs) exerts a constant ef; fort to close the two relatively-movable unitsijof the rearm to @a degree sufcient' toloring the firing-member into 'engagement with. the s'ear. ji As will be more fully `apparent hereinafter,

the presentinvention is directefd at overcom'ingf the deleterious eiects normally incidentto overp cocking.

One of the objectsA of the present inventionis to provide a superior breakdownrearm in which the effort of the firing-springto effect` the partialf closingof the'tvvo units of the'firearm, 'after the;

said firing-member hasv been retired beyond" its cooking position, is minimized or checkrnated-. Y

Another object of vthe--present inve ntionis` lto! provide asuperior breakdownfrarm confstruc-y 'tion- -inwhi'ch `means* Ais provided`r for" auto-4 matauy homing the Vmijngermen-iter` inns over-F inwoners@ toward-their s Ai f lilrthel f? i to provide.- a. .superior struction in a -releasaloleA retamln `rnerrrloe-r ir i its'. overgeeked posit bol-t Ais antomaticazllyrel'eased. the: l,tffrrcr relativlyfmovableuhlts intoV their v normal; 91: .close positions' reI features 'in *the saidv discvl'osur'e 'which' 'are' 'noveli over the priorartfand which are not ,claimed in"y ny-senaraiteanplato" Y. l

nation, yrag 1s-:a rrckenview mam ,s .s nal-'longitudinal section and partlifn'sid' they] t A firearm is'v broken. dow

when 'the mirri-ny* rar-irritiert@ enf mim@ rris @mantenan-eff: V11e-.urn are:

ner Substantially throughout theirlength, and f which are jointly provided at their rear ends with a depending barrel-lug 21 which is pivoted'in any approved manner to a pivot-pin 28 extending-r transversely of the forward portion of the frame 23 in a manner more or less conventionalfin;`

breakdown rearms.

As thus constructed andrarrnge'd, ,thebuttlunit and the barrel-unit 2| may bey'pivoted.4

with respect to each other about the pivot-pin 28 to permit-the removalof juSt-redcartridges and the insertionof fresh Icartridges, as is' indicated particularly well by Abroken lines'in Fig,1. v

Removably secured tothe under face'of the barrel-unit 2| and normally forming a part thereof, Yis afforestock-unit 29 requiring no detailed description herein other` thantov state thatA it includes fat its rear end `afores'tock-shoe V3l] andv aV viorwardly-extending forestock properl preferably formed of wood or other heat-insulating material. As is `more or` less usualj in breakdown firearms, the forestock-shoe 30 just referred to isl formed in its rearfacewith a cylindrically-contoured surfaces-32 normally bearing against the similarly-*contoured forward edge'33 of the frame 23. ,r Y The barrel-lug 21 before referred'to, is formed with a `downwardly-opening centrali-longitudinal groove 34 which, in additionto other `features,

accommodates the respectiveL'forwardends lof a right-hand cooking-lever 35"'and a left-hand c ocking-1ever`-36, both, of which are of substantia11y"L-shaped form land located alongside off each other, as is` especially well shown in Fig.' 9. Both the right-hand rcooking-lever 35,'ar'1'd the left-,hand'cocking-lever 36 are mounted for rocking movement on a pivot-pin 31. The saidpivjotpin-31 is mounted atits'respective opposite ends (Eig. '1) Finthe opposite side .walls ofy a longitu-` dinally-grooved mounting-member 38 secured'byY brazing, or otherwise, -to the upper face o'f atrigger-plate 15!)` forminga unitary part of the frame 23 and carrying a loop-like trigger-guard 40.

I The forward portion of the `mounting-member 38 and the respective forward portions of the cooking-levers ,35 and V36 Y*project forwardly through qa suitable opening provided in the lower portionfoi Y the standingfbreechM of the frame 23.- Rearwardly of thesaid standing-breech 4| g is mounted the rotary stem 42 rigidly securedto and' depending froml the forward'end of a socalled top-lever 43 located. mainly uponA theupper Aface `of .the iramev23 and lturnable about the axis of the stem 42 asthe centerpfrom the position in which it is shown by full lines in Fig.,2, to the position in which it is shown by'hroken lines in the samefgurerf On its left side, the stem 42 of the top-lever v 43 .is `provided with a coupling-,notch 44 l(lig: 6)

into which ts a coupling-*pin 45 upstanding :from aHplate-tlike reciprocating flocking-bolt 46 adjacent the left edge of `the lattenuso thataturning movement of 'the `stem:421wi1leifectlthe rearward retractionkof the locking-bolt: 46.; Adjacent with a central-longitudinal clearance-groove 41 through which downwardly extends a bearingpin 48 depending from the stem 42 and rotating in a suitable bearing 49 forming a feature of the frame 23 and serving to stabilize the lower end of the said rotary stem 42.

The forward'edge 50 of the reciprocating locking-bolt 46 is slightly forwardlyg,andfdownwardly inclined for the 4purposefa's will hereinafter appear, and is projectable forwardly of the standing-breech 4| of the frame 23 for entry into a rearwardly-opening locking-notch 21a in the barrel-lug 21. The said forward edge 50 is also engaged by the beveled lower rear corner 5| of -the'barfrl-lug 21 to effect the retirement of the said locking-bolt 46, as will hereinafter appear. In its under face, mainly adjacent its forward i end, the lockingbolt 46 is provided with a centml-longitudinal groove 52 to accommodate on occasion the Vsubstantially-horizontal lower portionsofthgrespective cooking-levers 35 and 36 and to provideoa relatively-'slender latchingabutman se" whimsjuppn" occasion' #hooked underg sojtoV ,speakftwo Etching-noses Ell- 54, `one of` v,As will portion ofrvtheleft-hand cooking-lever36 for the purpose as' willlprescntly appear, The` rear face of the rotary Astem 42 ofi the 'top-lever 43 is iiat-` tened,v as'will be` clearbyreference to Fig. `6` in particular, so'as to provide a retractingV-cam` 56 on the' left rear'y faceof the said stem. j The said l retracting,-cnanjif 5ftA engages with the `forward face off the 'actuating-bar 551at the .upper end of the cockine-.lvr 3.5 when the sadgotary. Stem 42 is turned l in na counterolockwise'direction by the manual `I nanipulaticm `of vthe'` vtop Ylever 43. This levers 35 and ,361 formtl'ieI purpose as will hereinafter, appear.

v ablejpassage `through the standing-breech 4| in` substantial axial alignment' with the',centery: "i"` f the right-.hand barrelj25'. "fl The said ring-rneim" 1 The rearfaceloi 'the portion ofthe `cocking-lever` 35 `is ladapted to .engage withj the fora wardfface ofan actuatingenger' 51 projecting laterally finwardlyljifrorn a"`1rlngmember or plunger ,58V designedftodischarge a cartridgein the' right-hand barrel 26j of the barrel-unit 2|. The ring-memberj, 58 j includes a forwardly-extending ringepoint'SS projectable through a suitat its'v 'forward end" against` the portionV of. I the its rear tend, Itheisaid :locking-bolt. 'isLformedi 7,5.

- jects, so' as't xrta vconstant"effort tomovethe Geef Cofkrizaes filrrile@ at the fer?` ward, endofa-pivpal Searls@ rheseidsi mountedif. rami/@tal mOi/ement upon@ Div lilil carried inthe-rear -p l 'i l ,Y bewseenparticularlyfwellbyreference to Fig. 9, the! riglfitfhand` cooking-lever 36 is formed with alateral actuating'ebar 55 which ex tends across Ythe frontl `face of the, `upstanding` -0 .erdlyffaiegeekng ehefadapted ft@ permeated bythe astenia@ Y Y ,y of "a :separate applicatie Inflledzbyl Ime etobe y bye ailifting-ln`gy v81 formed-upon they slipper vpore tion; ora triggerf 'mounted-for pivotal movethetriggereplate'idzheforereferredtdi1f-. 1:.v

- 1 The lefthan'd cocking-leiler. 3&is adapted'to.perE forni the same functicnsias those described above torv theizrightf-hand.cooking-lever .35,` butfrupon a separatelmeohanism Vwhich is a `sulflstantialJdupli.: cntezofA they mechanism above;describedTandI not requiring detailed-descriptionherein; other than that ong-occasion where. required', th'efparts willv heapsthegsame reference. characters `as ,tlfroseap-A pliedftri the`A eiemeritsivassociated withthe-fright-5v hand, ockinglever ,35, .the additional; desig-.

1;'R.2111?Iziin 110W. .tot thetopflever 43 :and ,itsr rotary 'stem 4.2, ythe said: zonder/Ter is;` yieldinglyV re-` tained in. its central position, as indicated Joy fuir iinesffinrigxzrzbr means of'a.1stringepressedI c kunnen w normally' thrusting. against ai rear-A Wnrdiyfiacinst surface It extending substantially mmeiitily .across the-stem 42 .closely -"beneath @helften-flater 45t.: iI'he-'Saidplunger 'Hl bears at itil-inerenti inthe forwardportionzof the. inverted Ufshaped yoke.- Sit `secu-redtothe undenfacer-fofl the ton Wallsoiatbe frame 23., n The said plunger mis urged iQlwardlyh-y a helical spring?! Zwhich' p',artioularly;@wellr v eneircies; its: rear: portion, s as.y is showninFig. 3. y y r mounted. :the downwardlyppenilng @ritmi-longitudinal groove 311:inthe'barrelelugl j il is a :bari-like cooking-shoe 't3 havingitsrear @hdr-normally' underlying-the Vicfewfard under yfaces,

@the respective cooking-levers, audit. i .The @dismiss-$11,051:, "t3, is heldin: its realzgfor operating Position by a,.Shoefretairter-,'Mpivotally mountedV bit Aoff .2a. pivot:miny 115 to the'forestocbshoe-V l @it when; the :iorestocketmit ZS is removedA fromv the, hariidleurlitxlr the cooking-shoe 1.3; mayslide'y fqrwardlifgoutrtrcrn the cockingdeversa andate,` $46 mithilfe-Permit the unhi-ndered removal-or de-,s tachment of.. ,the said; narrerunit 2t from 'the butt-unit .Zit i I F221: purposesoff mattine clean thegoperation, ofk the embodmieot or the, Dresentinventmn shown in the aecomranyinsdrawings tanda-described above, let-itbe assumed-that; the parts are in the:

Positions inwhiclrthetf are.; indicatedinriig.

which representsthe conditions prevailing inn mediate-r iollowirie `the diseharseoffthe firearm.

`The irst Operation inerty required ists swing ther-.ear end. of treten lever@ fromleftto right-- tramite Positienm which it is shown .bysfulr lines in 2, to. the position which itis shown b-Yf. breken.. Husein-the someten-re.; Y 'rms1r-noye-g mentwill the. sternA Masai-11st; the tensiones thesnrine; 1t. and will Qifthe reciprocating; lockingrbolt 46, .out of;y the lokin-iioteh21a,oithecbarrelfluglt to thereby i ,the borrel-unit- `2 L to' be swung. about the;

Divot-Pilt Z. as *ai center The initial. swinging:

movement of the stem 42 of the top lever 43 will also causes theactuating-icam 56 of the said stem" to engage with and force the actuating-bar 55 of the right-hand cooking-lever 35 rearwardly.

Owing to the overlapping relationship ofthe actuating-bar with respect to the vforward face of the upperend of the left-hand cooking-lever 36, both levers will be simultaneously tilted in a counterclockwise direction to a degree suflcient` to retire the firing-point '59 of the tiring-*member 58 and the flringpoint 59a of the ming-member 58a rearwardly of the front face of the standingbreechll. This particular featureis not by it-` self claimed herein, but forms Vthe subjectematter Arterttriefiokmgeho f4 vhasreen me swung sullcientlyitocperp'zta theextraction until l redshellifrom the-rearendtoftlrx'je: barre The continuedswmgingmovement oixtheibarfsrel-'untzLZl y'frein-the rpositiorishown 'inr through@theinterinediaryof thefcoekingesho Afurtherv .tilt-the cockinge-l'everifmarais opposition of the ring-'springtl -Inthisrznaning-nose 545er tirez scarVr Q5.Y fli/lanualV `pressure rupon 'the.timeilererfli;` shouldinoW-befreiaxedif y :Were it'v notffonproicvision tot the contrary, 'the` l firing-spring i 68 would, -actingf'through the.r coche ingflever :3;5-2r1ow1cserve zto; return the barriere lunit: 2.-|- to; thefpositionxin which-nit; is; shown-ini' ncient tobringtneicockingfabutment*seorthe i-ring-member-tf# to.gengagement with "the cockingrnosefA of tneseanili; c* s l hAs, soon,v however', y.as theAv barrel-uftgft reaches the position inwh-icn it isv shown, in. Fie;

5f; thesljockiligfncse Miotthecocking-lever;35.wilh have; been shifted aboventheilatchine-abutment v- 1. 53, of*,tliiegflocking-looltl 46;; and, thev saiid loekingy;

` bolt (ngerpressure upon the top lever 43', hav-q :retract ythe forward portion ing, this time been released)Y will. snap, forwardly.: under the y urge. of: the spring lik-andi releasalelylatch the ,''ringmember 5% in v positioni inwhichf 'it-is shown; ing Fig; v Inf this l mannen,` the :ringvspring 6E is; miei/entedifromi` exerting: an eiortf to, shiftntheibarrelrunit 1M?v` from the; position in; which ,it isshown in; I'Eiga y boekte theipositcniniwhiehuit is; shawn f ,After-me paesini@ the; pta-,ions it which they; arefshown Fig., 5 and' the firedy cartridge.A

has been-extracted; bechamel-unitari maybe;

` ofthe-:position ina,.Whifclfl;it!iS manualhoret ne y Show-mini Eiga. 2: and;J ',Asrithefbarrel-unin wardlyeAfSn-lsocn as the;l said.: locking-boltnihas,

been-,re `redi1ffs'uiiicictrl-try;:tos-clearits;latchinge` t abutmentMirror@thelatchingenose; Stof the"l cooking-lever v35, the saidcockng-lever will be Y swung in. a clockwise direction by the 'firing-*f springahd the locking-bolt 46'w`ill befreed to?" f f k have'itsforward edge `5l) entered into thelock-y ing-notch 21a in the barrel-lug 21 as $00.11. asm* n the said(locking-notch.is brought into registra-ffv .il

tion therewith by the closing movement olf-the barrel-unit 2 l i 'I'hey same effect as has been above d'escribed,v a `in connection with the'right-hand cooking-lever 35 and its associated features, will occurv 'to the left-hand' cooking-lever 36 and its associated 3 y t'f i latchngi-,nos'e taboviel the; Etching-abutment 53 4 off the;l retired-iocklng-holt. Mi 'and i aim? to features simultaneouslwwirhthe action-above underfthe urgejof one "or: more of' the" firing'- f springs, isfeffectively avoided;V andthe re'arn is made much moreifconyenientto load and u" load thanwould otheriwisezbeithe case'.`i1: 2;, The Vinvention maybe .carried f out.' in'gother specific. Ways than` those i herein set 'forth without departing from the .spirit and essential? char`v acteristicsA of Ythe invention,: and the preS'entem-l bodiments are, therefore, to be consideredrin` all respects fas illustrative and not restrictive,"`and all changes coming. Within the meaning 'and equivalency range of fthe appended; claims are intended to be embracedfthereinl Iclaim: t l'1. A breakdown firearm including in combina# tion: :a butt-unit; a barrel-unit pivoted to the saidl butt-unit for movementinto both a closed and a breakdown position. With respect thereto; a releasable locking-bolt for. holding the tw'o'fs'aid units in their knormalffor[closed positions'withv respect to each other; a ringlmember retirableV into a cockedpositionand intoanover-cocked position; Va firing-spring urging the saidring-- member into its firing-position; 'a searfor releasably holding the said nfiring-m'e'mber' infits cocked position; cocking-meansope'rable by theV breakdown movement-of the't'vo said unitsw'ith respect to each .other to retire-the 'saidrgmember into its 'over-cocked position"and-cori-V stiucted and arranged to be r'eleasably `engaged" by theraoresaid locking-bolt toV releasably hold'- the said ring-member inUitsoVer-cooked' po-H sition.A Y '.fi' 2. A breakdown firearm including' inA conbination: a butteunit; a-.barrel-unitpiyoted'tthe said butt-unit yfor movement into both' a closed and a breakdown position -With" 'respect'- thereto a releasable spring-pressed'locking-bolt for ,hold-Y ing the two said units in their normal orlclo'se'd positions with respect toeachfother; a firing` r member retirable into a cocked position and 'into an overcocked position; a firing-spring urging the said firing-member 'into its rin'gposition; a sear for releasablyholdin'g the Asaidiirn'g#inem-V ber in its cocked position; Acocking-means op; erable bythe breakdown movement of' tii'etnivoV said units with respect to each other to retire the said ring-memberinto its'oVer-cocked posi'tn and. constructed,and'aranged'to be releasably engaged by the aforesaid Vlocking-bolt 'to releas ably hold the saidfring-'memb'er in' its `overcocked position; and releasingmeansfactuated' by `the closing movementV of th "two said units to retire the said locking-boltv and releasethe Vsaid cockedV position wherijthef'sa'id" barrel-unith is'.

over-cocked' position :i1 i and a f'trippige-lvbutm t* 

